406: Agendas
by me11
Summary: Episode 6...Clark is back...the teens head to Metropolis...Randy is in trouble with Lionel...
1. Teaser

**4.06: Agendas**

Intro

Chloe didn't know what to say. She just sat on the couch and stared at the doorway, and the boy who stood in it. Clark's eyes searched her face, and then flickered over to the man beside her. For the first time since he'd joined her in that room, Chloe noticed just how close her and Lex were sitting.

Clark opened his mouth a couple of times but no sound came out. That was all that she needed though. She dropped the black beret onto the couch and crossed the room as quickly as her legs would carry her. Her eyes closed tightly, holding back tears, when Clark wrapped his arms around her. She felt him lift her off of the ground, and his grip was starting to hurt. But when he buried his face into the curve of her neck, she forgot about the pain in her ribs.

Eventually he set her down and pulled back just enough to see her face. "Chloe," his forehead wrinkled in the familiar concerned expression, his voice strained as if he hadn't used it in a while. "Mom told me...are you okay? I'm sorry that I wasn't here."

She nodded and wiped the tear tracks from her eyes, acutely aware that Lex was still in the room. She still didn't like him to see her cry. "I'm fine Clark," she lied, choosing to ignore the conversation that her and Lex had just had.

"Chloe," he frowned at her, not believing her for a second. She looked up at him sadly.

"I'll be fine," she said instead. "Where have you been anyways?" Clark paled and immediately adopted that shifty look that he got whenever he was about to lie.

"I was visiting family," he told her, barely able to keep his eyes from looking down at his hands.

"Right," she nodded shortly. "Clark Kent, man of mystery. How could I have forgotten?" Clark looked hurt and Lex decided that that was the moment to step in.

"Clark," he held his hand out for Clark to shake. Chloe frowned when Clark made no move to return the greeting, but she noticed that Lex didn't seem terribly surprised. "Nice to have you back."

"I'll bet," Clark said in the nastiest voice that Chloe had heard since his summer in Metropolis. Lex smirked.

"I think I'll leave you both to talk," he turned to Chloe with a small smile. "You probably have a lot to catch up on."

"Yeah," she nodded. "Thanks." Lex nodded at her and then made his way out of the room.

"Clark?" he stopped in the doorway but didn't turn around. "Welcome home."

"Thanks," Clark muttered, but Lex was already gone.

TBC...

* * *

A_/N: It's been a while...I'm sorry. I've been taking some of my reviewer's comments to heart and am hoping to make a few improvements to the story line. I realize that I may alienate some of the Chlexers out there with some of the stuff to come. The hardest part about writing a series of fics is to have them turn out the way that you want, without having them be totally OOC. Smallville is a drama, with lots of angst (just look at the nauseating and repetitive Clark/Lana scenes and storylines), so it only makes sense that I add a little angst and stretch out the final outcome. Right?_

_Also, having Lex and Chloe thrust right into a relationship would be not only out of character for her, but even more so for him. Add in the painful emotional state that Chloe is in, and the guilt that Lex feels (in my fics) and you don't get a nice situation. They would end up hating each other, and as I am a Chlexer myself, I don't want to write them there. The basis of Smallville is not Chloe/Lex, it is first and foremost Clark Kent and Lex Luthor...they're the future of the entire Superman saga. It's their story. I just like to add in Chloe and Pete once in a while._

_There are a few things that I can tell you about the rest of this series (which I'm HOPING will go until 4.22, like an actual season):_

_-First, there WILL be some Clark/Chloe closeness. He IS her best friend, the star of this show, and a general good guy. Those of you who hate Clark (I know that you're out there), I've got to wonder why you watch Smallville in the first place. But for the record, I AM a Chlexer..._

_-Second, I really don't like Lana. So she will eventually come back, but not yet because I'm just not ready to write her in. The series won't be full of Lana-bashing, that wouldn't be fair, but I am going to keep her presence at a minimum. Sorry Lana Lovers._

_-Third, I like Pete...or as some of you have dubbed him, Product-Placement-Pete. He may be underused, living in Wichita (or wherever), and destined to be with Lana...but let us all remember that he was the first person to recognize how special Chloe Sullivan really is. Since this season is so obviously Chloe-centric, and I'm incorporating both Chlex and Chlark, it only makes sense to have the original Chloe lover portrayed in a positive, supportive role. We like Pete._

_-Fourth, the shippiness won't be immediate, but there be shippy scenes in every episode, much like the REAL Smallville (you know how they like to tease us)._

_So, if any of you are still with me :0) , I'm off to type up Chapter One._

_:0)_

_Cheers._


	2. One

**Chapter One**

Lex tried not to pace, the length of his study already had a big enough groove worn into it lately, and forced himself to sit down at his desk. He immersed himself in the pile of paperwork that had gathered while he'd been away, and attempted to keep his mind off of Chloe and Clark.

He bit down on the end of his pen, the calm exterior that he'd adapted in the basement now totally gone. Investigating Clark had been wrong, and he knew that. But Lex was also determined that Chloe never find out about it. He didn't know why, didn't want to really, but Lex knew for certain that he wouldn't be able to handle the way Chloe would look at him if she ever found out. He didn't want to see the disbelief and disappointment that was bound to mar her features.

'He'd better not tell her,' Lex thought desperately. He was about a second away from throwing the five hundred dollar pen across the room, when a light knock sounded on the door. "Come in," he called out, his voice trained and even, just like he'd been taught. Before the door had even opened he'd slipped his business face back on, reigning in his troublesome emotions. Chloe practically skipped into his office, Clark trailing slowly behind her.

"Hey Lex," she grinned and dropped herself into a seat in front of his desk. Clark dragged his feet, but took the seat beside hers. "I invited Clark to stay for dinner," she told him, her voice light and hopeful. "I hope that's okay?"

He smiled. "Whatever you want," he told her, ignoring the way Clark's jaw seemed to tighten.

Chloe beamed at him and jumped to her feet. "Great. I'll go tell Michel," she was out of the door before they realized it, conveniently leaving the two of them alone.

"Michel?" Clark asked him.

"The cook," Lex replied, as if it should have been obvious. Clark rolled his eyes and despite their fight, Lex found himself liking the new backbone that the farm boy seemed to have developed. His mind went back to Chloe, and Lex once again began to hope that Clark would keep quiet about that room.

Clark stared back at him coolly. "I didn't tell her Lex," he seemed to be able to read minds. Or maybe he just wasn't as dumb as he looked.

"You didn't," Lex nodded sagely. "But you will." It wasn't a question, because Lex was almost entirely sure that Clark Kent would spill.

"I don't want to," Clark shook his head. "She doesn't need this Lex. Too many people have hurt her lately and I don't want her to have to look at you the way that I am right now. She shouldn't have to."

Lex nodded, knowing that he deserved harsher words from his once best friend. "For what it's worth Clark," he told the boy honestly. "I'm sorry for what I did. I stopped others from investigating you but I couldn't stop myself. I lied to you about it, and that was wrong of me."

Always the soft heart, Clark sighed miserably. "It's just...I trusted you Lex," he said, meeting Lex's eyes now. "I always stood up for you, said that just because you're Lionel Luthor's son that it didn't mean that we should look at you differently." Clark turned and looked towards the doorway, and not seeing her returning yet, turned back to Lex. "I won't tell her," he said quietly, surprising both of them. "But you have to let this go Lex. You can't keep spying on me, researching me like I'm some kind of science experiment."

"I'm not investigating you Clark," Lex told him seriously. Since Clark had gotten that key and confronted him before the trial, Lex had put a firm halt on all Clark-Kent-related investigations. He considered telling Clark that he'd gotten rid of the room, but decided that lying wasn't really the best idea right now. "Thank you for not telling her."

Clark nodded again and Chloe chose that moment to return, saving them from more awkward conversation. "Did I interrupt something?" she asked warily, looking back and forth between them.

"No," Clark flashed her a huge grin and this time managing to lie much more easily. "Lex was just filling me in on everything that's been happening in Smallville lately." She sat down in her seat again.

"That must've been uneventful," she snarked. "Nothing ever seems to happen in Smallville during the summer."

"I'm sure that the Wall of Weird material will pick up once the school year starts up again," Lex added thoughtfully. "It always seems to." They all pondered that for a moment...

"So," Clark asked Chloe brightly. "You told me about Paris. How was London?"

Chloe groaned.

* * *

Clark stared morosely at his ceiling, trying to remember if his bedroom had always been this small. The four walls seemed closer together than they did before, in fact everything seemed smaller now that he was back in Smallville. It wasn't even the same town that he left behind only six weeks ago; everything had changed. He didn't remember what had happened on Krypton. In fact the only thing that Clark could remember was being his by a searing pain and then waking up cold and naked on the floor of the caves. Six weeks later, the fastest six weeks of his life. Time that didn't exist. It was a strange feeling, and Clark didn't like it.

He'd sped home, faster that lightening, just that morning. His parents had greeted him warmly, questioned him, and then proceeded to tell him about what had happened the day that he'd left. All of Clark Kent's thoughts since then had been about Chloe. Was she okay? Will she hate him for not being here? Is she really living with Lex Luthor?

Clark groaned. Lex had been his friend for three years now, but Clark was seriously beginning to wonder if maybe Lex had just been after his secret all along. And now Chloe was living with him. The thought made Clark more uncomfortable that he would have thought. In fact, it bothered him so much that he hadn't even thought of Lana since he'd gotten home. Well, until now...

He'd seen the way that Lex had hugged her goodbye at the airport, and he'd also seen how close Lex and Chloe were at the mansion. Pete was gone, and his other friends seemed to be moving on too. Clark couldn't help feeling that in the last few months, not just the last six weeks, he was slowly being replaced. By Lex Luthor.

Chloe would laugh at that, if she knew what he'd been thinking. She'd say that he was crazy, that no one would ever be able to replace him, because Chloe always knew just what he needed to hear. But they both knew that she was different now, her world had changed and she was seeing everything differently now. Would she still be able to see him? Clark still needed her, but he knew that right now she needed him more.

* * *

Chloe stared unblinkingly at her computer screen, the monitor's light casting a harsh glow over her skin in the dark bedroom. She sighed loudly and ignored the quiver in her lip at the sight of the article in front of her.

As much as Chloe usually loved the Daily Planet, she felt a strong urge to smash in her computer screen at the sight of their day's headline: "Luthor Lawyers Confident About Turnaround in Supreme Court Appeal".

She read the article repeatedly, eight times, to make sure that she wasn't just seeing things. But eight times now she'd come to the same realization: Lionel Luthor might just get to walk.

"I can't believe this," she muttered, and poked viciously at the escape key, closing the window. Lex's lawyers had them believing that they could still win this. She pushed her chair roughly away from the desk and made her way out of the dark bedroom, towards Lex's study. She had no doubt that he'd be awake.

Quinn emerged from his position near her bedroom door; he'd been hidden in the shadows, and fell into step behind her already. Her bare feet made no noise on the stone floor; she couldn't seem to get used to wearing her shoes in the house all day long. Lex may be able to spend every waking hour in those thousand dollar shoes of his, but normal people just don't do that. Then again, Lex wasn't really normal.

The door to his study was closed so she knocked soundly on it. He called through the door for her to come in. She pushed the heavy doors open and slipped into the room Quinn didn't follow.

"Did you see today's Daily Planet?" she asked him immediately, walking over to his desk where he was sitting comfortably in the designer leather chair, looking at a computer screen.

"Yes," he nodded, eyes still glued to the screen. She frowned and walked around the desk, stopping just behind him. Chloe looked down at the screen and discovered that he too was visiting the Daily Planet Online. Lex's shoulders tensed slightly when she continued to stand behind him, with no plans on moving. She would have found it amusing, except she couldn't help but re-read the article again, it's words already ingrained into her mind.

He swiveled his chair around and stood in front of her, now looking down to her seriously. "Don't worry about it Chloe," he said. "My lawyers assure me that they have everything under control."

She ran a hand roughly through her hair and moved to the corner of the desk, leaning against the hard glass side. "It's just...I have a bad feeling about this Lex," she sighed admittedly. "I don't think I can trust your lawyers. They say everything's under control but Lionel's already been moved off of death row. They're talking about getting him out on bail! How is this being taken care of?"

Lex reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders. She felt comforted by the familiar gesture. "These are some of the best lawyers in Metropolis Chloe," he told her seriously. "I pay then too much for them to fail."

"Lex your father managed to pay off the FBI," she reminded him. "The list of people I can trust is growing shorter and shorter everyday; and a team of blood-for-hire lawyers isn't really at the top of it right now."

He squeezed her shoulder and gazed pointedly into her eyes. "I'm not asking you to trust them Chloe, I need you to trust me. I know that I let you down before, but it's not going to happen again. I won't let it happen ever again."

"It's not just that Lex," she turned her eyes away from his and focused instead on the navy silk that covered his broad shoulders. His hands were warm and their continued pressure on her was soothing. "I hate having to look over my shoulder everywhere that I go, and I hate having a security guard trail me every second of every day. I've been independent since I was twelve years old, and now I can't even go outside by myself. He's taken everything away from me Lex. _Everything_."

"I'm sorry Chloe," he ran both hands up and down her forearms slowly. "I know how it feels to have him make you a prisoner in your own life. It's not right, and it's always going to hurt. You just need to trust the people that care about you Chloe. Let them take care of you."

* * *

Chloe smiled at the feel of the sun, warm against her skin. She and Clark were at Crater Lake, spending the scorching August day trying to cool down by the water. She was currently sprawled out on a fuzzy beach blanket, lying across the end of the dock, while Clark splashed around in the water.

"Tell me again why we're at Carter Lake?" he asked her, breaking through the sheet of water and perching himself beside her on the dock. "There's a pool at the mansion."

"It's not the same," she wiped absently at the drops of water that had landed on her bare stomach. "Besides, I can't work on my tan in an indoor pool."

Clark grinned at her mischievously and then shook his head from side to side, raining droplets of cold water all over her increasingly goldening skin. "Hey!" she yelped.

"Come on Chloe," he somehow managed to whine and keep the adorable grin on his face while she wiped away the droplets. "I'm getting bored."

"You're welcome to lie here and join me then," she closed her eyes again and let herself relax under the combination of his gaze and the warm rays. He sighed pitifully but she could feel him move over and lie beside her on the dock. His presence gave her a warm, safe feeling that she hadn't really felt since Pete left town. She yawned. "If I fall asleep wake me up okay? Don't let me burn..."

They both paused awkwardly then, uncomfortable silence spreading over the lake. Clark cleared his throat softly. "I won't," he assured her quietly.

Chloe turned her face towards him and wasn't at all surprised to find him lying beside her, his position mirroring hers. She smiled softly. "You had me forget for a while there," she whispered, eyeing the small water drops still glistening on his skin.

"Sorry?"

"No," she shook her head and then turned her face back up to the sun, letting her eyes slide shut again. "That's why I like having you around, you make me forget."

She could feel his grin wash over her, even with her eyes closed. "That's the exact opposite of why I like you around," he told her warmly. "You make me remember."

"Remember what?" she asked sleepily. His voice seemed to be fading farther and farther away.

"Why I came home," she heard him say quietly, before her unconscious mind took over and her thoughts returned to more pleasant times.

* * *

Randy Millar huffed in annoyance at the line of people in front of him, filing out of the airplane. They were moving slowly and he was tempted to just start elbowing his way through. Daydreams of hitting some of the other passengers in the back of the head with the butt of his favorite handgun filled his head. One of the insanely cheerful flight attendants began talking to him.

"Thank you for flying with us," she smiled sickly sweetly at him. "Have a nice day."

"Thanks," he returned gruffly and finally made his way out of the plane, past an old couple in front of him. He slipped around the elderly, nudging a couple of twenty-something girls out of the way, and strode quickly into his terminal.

Randy spotted the suited man immediately once he stepped outside of the building. He stood with the myriad of drivers in a marked lane. They all sported tailored black suits but he was the largest of all of the drivers, and had a look to him that screamed "hired muscle" to anyone who was trained to spot it. Randy walked over and got into the car.

The man, James White, climbed into the driver's seat and they took off from the airport. "Mr. Luthor wants to speak to you," White told him gruffly.

Randy nodded; he'd been expecting that. He'd botched the London job; the Sullivan girl had gotten away. Lionel Luthor would be mad...

TBC...


	3. Two

**Chapter Two**

Chloe found Lex in his study on Friday evening, big surprise. "Hey," she greeted him, juggling a large silver tray in her hands and closing the door with her foot. Lex looked up at her in surprise.

He noted the tray in her hands and frowned. "What time is it?" he asked her, checking his watch.

"Almost seven," she told him and set the tray down on the coffee table in the small sitting area. "You missed dinner." She slumped down into one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Have you been working this whole time?"

He sighed and dropped his gold pen down on the contracts that he'd been working on. "Unfortunately," he leaned back in his chair and shot her a lazy smirk. "The plant manager that my father hired isn't the most adept manager I've ever had."

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

Lex smiled thoughtfully for a moment. "He's no Gabe Sullivan," he told her honestly. "Not even close." She nodded quickly and averted her eyes, and Lex immediately felt like an ass for even bringing him up.

"Well," she forced a grin. "No one is. Sullivan's are all one of a kind." He smiled warmly at her, agreeing completely.

"So, do you have plans tonight?" he asked her, noting that she was carrying a purse over her shoulder.

"Yeah, Clark's coming to pick me up at seven," she grinned. "We're going to meet Pete in Metropolis for a midnight movie. He's there with his Mom for the weekend."

"Sounds fun," he said unconvincingly; that didn't really sound like his idea of a wild Friday night out.

"Liar," she smirked, not believing him for a second. He smirked back and opened a drawer in the desk.

"I was going to give you these later, but since you're going to Metropolis tonight," he handed her a new cell phone and a set of keys.

She held the keys up on her index finger. "What are these for?" she asked him.

"The penthouse in Metropolis," your room should be ready if you want to stay there tonight."

"Oh," she looked surprised. "Um, thanks! I guess we might as well stay the night. It's a long drive home."

Lex's lips quirked at the word but he managed to just nod politely, not wanting to call her on it. There was a knock on the door and the butler entered. "Mr. Kent is here for Miss Chloe," he informed them.

Chloe grinned at the butler. "Thanks Walden, I'll be right there," she told him easily. Once Walden had left, she turned back to Lex. "I guess I'm going."

Lex nodded. "Have fun," he picked up his pen again. Chloe stood and picked the tray up again, this time setting it on his desk.

"Eat something," she told him sternly before making her way out of his study. "And don't work too hard!" she called back.

Lex rolled his eyes but set the pen down and pulled the tray closer, removing the silver cover.

* * *

"So," Pete clapped his hands together and peered up at the list of show times. "Which movie? I think that new Halle Berry flick. She's hot."

Chloe rolled her eyes but Clark nodded in agreement. They'd just arrived at the Metropolis Megaplex and were trying to choose from the twenty or so different movies that were playing. "What about the Village?" Clark suggested.

"Haven't you had enough of creepy small towns for one night?" Pete teased. "Come on guys, she wears this leather outfit..."

"What about Fahrenheit 9/11?" Chloe pointed out its spot on the board. "It 's...oh it's already started."

"That's because we've been out here forever," Pete whined. "Let's just pick one."

"Well as smoking hot as Halle Berry is," Chloe deadpanned. "I wouldn't mind seeing the Village."

Clark grinned and Pete groaned. "Oh come on Pete," Clark nudged him. "It looks scary."

"Fine," Pete sighed dramatically and they went to buy their tickets. "Hey Chloe? Where's the suit?"

Chloe grinned evilly. "He's behind us. The guy in the Hawaiian shirt," she snickered. "I told him that people would notice the suit and think that it was strange."

"I still can't believe that you got him into that outfit," Clark shook his head and they all turned around to look at the bodyguard. Chloe had dressed him in khaki shorts and a matching bucket hat to go with the colorful shirt.

"I think he looks cute," she shrugged and they waited for him to catch up to them. When he reached them Chloe handed over the ticket that she'd bought for him. "Don't pout."

"I look like an idiot," Quinn told her gravely. Chloe shot her friends glares when they snickered.

"No you don't," she rolled her eyes. "Besides you were the one that didn't want to wear one of Clark's shirts. I had to improvise."

"It was flannel," he frowned pointedly.

"What's wrong with flannel?" Clark asked them innocently. No one answered. "Hey!"

* * *

Randy tried not to gulp too audibly when he saw the large steel door open. His knees felt uncomfortably weak while his employer, Lionel Luthor, made his way over to the lone chair in the middle of the room. Luthor was older, sick, had his hands and legs chained together, and was kept at a distance by a wire grate. Randy was still terrified of him. Just because Luthor looked weak, didn't mean that he actually was. Randy knew damn well what that "sick" old man was capable of.

So he remained silent and still while Luthor sat down and the guards left. Luthor looked at him and cocked his head to the side slightly, his dark eyes staring into Randy's appraisingly. "Mr. Miller, I must say that I am immensely disappointed with your work recently," his voice had a snake-like hiss to it, Randy had always noticed. "When I assign a task to one of my employees I expect it to be filled out within a reasonable period of time. You've had over six weeks."

"I know Sir," Rand nodded stoically. "I'm sorry, I know that I've disappointed you."

Lionel laughed, cruelly and coolly. "I was disappointed five weeks ago Mr. Miller," his eyes narrowed. "Now I'm just angry."

"Yes Sir," Randy nodded hurriedly. "You have every right to be—"

Be quiet!" Luthor snapped. "I want you to listen closely Mr. Miller. As upset as I am with your recent performance, I am also quite aware that you are one of the best men in Metropolis for this particular type of task. You have until Monday morning to finish the job. I don't care how you do it, but you'd sure as hell better get it done! Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir," Randy nodded gratefully. He'd seen Luthor angry with employees before, like the Sullivan girl, and knew that he was getting off easy. It was a rough business, but the money was good, and you damn well tried to not piss of the Luthor's.

Randy thanked him and then left immediately. "Mr. Miller," Luthor called him back.

"Yes Sir?"

"If you fail me again," he said conversationally, as if he were inquiring about the weather. "The missing paycheck will be the least of your problems."

Randy nodded. "Yes Sir."

* * *

"I told you the movie would be scary," Clark looked pointedly at Pete as they walked along the High Street Boulevard, Quinn following fifty feet behind them.

"It was not," Pete scoffed, but both Chloe and Clark saw his eyes shift nervously to the shadowed corners.

"Didn't you like it?" Clark asked him. "Come on...I know you did." Chloe rolled her eyes and let them discuss the movie. She occupied herself by looking at the buildings that they passed, taking not of which ones were still open at two in the morning.

Spotting a well lit, but rather grungy looking shop, she grinned and elbowed Clark in the ribs gently. "Hey Clark," she pointed out the sign to them. "What would your parents say if you went home with one of those?"

Clark and Pete both read the sign and began to laugh. "If you went home with one of those anywhere on your body I'm pretty sure that Mr. Kent would have to give you the longest lecture in the history of the entire world," Pete joked. "Books would be written about it."

Clark grinned again and they resumed their discussion of the movie. The guys started walking again but Chloe didn't follow. Clark paused and looked back at her. "Chloe?" he asked her warily.

She didn't answer, just kept staring up at the sign with a thoughtful expression on her face. They followed her gaze again and she heard them both groan in realization. Chloe smiled up at the sign. "Metro's Finest Tattoos and Piercing. Open 24 Hours."

* * *

Randy drove the streets of Metropolis nervously. His contact in Smallville had told him that the Sullivan girl had gone into Metropolis for the night. Just her, a friend, and one body guard.

He was headed towards the Luthor penthouse. By his watch, he had fifty-four hours until he had to meet Luthor and report. That was plenty of time to take out the girl, but Randy was hoping to do it at the penthouse, where security would be at a minimum.

* * *

Clark looked around at the various pictures on the walls, different tattoos that the employees had done, and felt incredibly out of place. Kal may have fit in here, but Clark didn't. "I can't believe we're in a tattoo parlor," Pete hissed to him, eyeing the pictures as well.

"I can't believe that we let _her _go in _there_," Clark hissed pack, pointing to a closed grungy white door. Chloe and Quinn had gone in a minute before with the straggly looking guy that worked there.

"Like we could stop her," Pete grinned. "Besides, it's not like she's getting a tattoo. It's just a piercing."

"I wonder what she's getting pierced?" Clark muttered. He stared hard at the door, using his X-Ray vision to look through it. Chloe was just talking to the guy.

"Well?" Pete asked him eagerly and Clark shrugged.

"They're just talking," he turned off the X-Ray.

"Oh," Pete shrugged. "So...are you going to tell me what happened this summer?"

Clark sighed. "I don't remember," he said quietly. "Honestly, I went into the cave and activated the symbols and the next thing I know I'm lying naked on the ground—six weeks later."

"That's messed up man," Pete laughed sardonically. "That's it? Do you have any new abilities or anything?"

"I don't think so," Clark shrugged. "I do feel different though. A part of me feels like I blinked and six weeks of my life jumped by, but I still have the strangest feeling that something important happened and I just can't remember it."

"Maybe you're not supposed to," Pete suggested. "We don't know what happened to you, and if they made you forget then maybe they don't want you to remember."

"Maybe," Clark sighed. "I guess we'll see."

"Anyways," Pete continued. "It's good that you're back. I hated the fact that Chloe was alone in Smallville, with just Lex Luthor there to watch out for her."

"As mad as I am at Lex right now," Clark admitted reluctantly. "I really do think that he wants what's best for Chloe. He feels guilty, and at the very least he wants to keep her safe."

"I know that," Pete assured him. "And I'm glad that he is. But Chloe needs a lot more than protection right now, and I don't think that Luthor is really the one to give it to her. She needs her friends around, people that she trusts."

"I'll be there for her," Clark assured him. "But you should see her and Lex together...something's changed between them. It's obvious, and it makes you feel like you're...walking in on something."

Pete frowned and they slipped into silence. Clark had no doubt that Pete was thinking about the same possibility that Clark himself kept denying.

"Do you think he's interested in Chloe?" Pete asked suddenly, looking panicked.

"No," Clark shook his head, but really wasn't entirely sure. "I think he's interested in Lana." He bitterly remembered the scene at the airport.

"Clark not every male on this planet is interested in Lana Lang," Pete rolled his eyes. "Some of us would prefer Chloe over the town princess. Luthor may have a thing for brunettes, but he also likes his women to have a backbone."

"Lana has a backbone," Clark said defensively.

"Yeah, but she's no Helen Bryce, or Victoria Hardwick is she?" Pete grinned at the mere memory of Lex's exes.

"No, I suppose not," Clark admitted. "But Chloe? Do you really think that she's his type?"

"Dye the hair and add a pair of heels and she's exactly his type," Pete insisted. "That worries me."

Clark thought about that for a minute, beginning to see it the way that Pete did. "Me too," he admitted.

"I just wish that she would move on, you know?" Pete sighed. "I mean, there are plenty of guys out there that would jump at the chance to go out with Chloe, but she's just completely oblivious to any of them."

Clark shifted uncomfortably, knowing that Pete was in love with her and that she'd never felt the same way about him. "Be careful what you wish for Pete," Clark warned him sagely. "It's not going to hurt any less to see Chloe with other guys."

"At least when she wanted you it was a decent choice," Pete elbowed him. "Who better than Clark Kent?"

"Pete Ross?" Clark suggested with a grin. Pete laughed and they let the subject drop.

Five minutes later the white door opened and Chloe walked out, Quinn and the tattoo guy following behind her. She paid the guy and then walked over to join her friends. "Okay," she grinned. "I'm done."

Pete and Clark both leaned forward, one eager and the other wary, and scanned her quickly for any telltale signs. There was nothing on her face, which meant...

"Well?" Pete asked eagerly, unable to wait any longer. "You've only got two earrings, nothing through your nose, eyebrows or lips...let me see your tongue!"

"There's nothing in my tongue," she stuck it out to show them.

"Then where?" Clark asked her.

"Where do you think?" she laughed and their eyes immediately moved down slightly, resting on the low cut neckline of her shirt.

"I think that you need to show us," Pete told her, trying to keep his leer in check. Clark nodded eagerly too, something that he wasn't entirely proud of, but hey...who was he to pass up a free look at—

"Okay," she shrugged and pulled up the hem of her shirt. They blinked quickly when she stopped the shirt halfway up her torso. A metal bar went through her bellybutton, the small jewel on the end twinkling in the light.

Clark was sure that he heard Pete groan in disappointment. Chloe frowned at them. "What?" she looked down at the piercing. "Does it look bad or something?"

"N-no," Clark cleared his throat and smiled reassuringly at her. "It looks fine...we just thought..."

"What? What did you think...oh! Hey!" she dropped her shirt in disgust. Clark blushed but Pete reached out and pushed the shirt back up, just enough to see the piercing.

"Actually it's kind of hot," he grinned and brushed the tip of a finger quickly over the stud. "Damn Chloe!"

She grinned and rolled her eyes again. "Okay, okay," she swatted his hand away. "Let's get out of here."

"So how do they do that?" Clark asked her, holding the door for everyone.

"They use a needle," Chloe explained. Clark shot Pete a paranoid look. "A new needle Clark," she sighed. "And the disinfect the site with alcohol."

"Did it hurt?" Pete asked, looking at her stomach as if he were trying to see the ring through her shirt.

She reached down and rubbed absentmindedly at her bellybutton. "I've felt worse," she muttered. They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence.

* * *

Les was lying comfortably in his bed, the silk sheets pooling coolly around his body, and just starting to drift into sleep. Predictably, his phone chose that moment to ring. Normally he would just ignore the ringing, since it was almost four in the morning, but the ring was coming from his cell phone and only a few select people had that number. All of them were people that Lex would accept a four o'clock call from.

"Luthor," he answered after the second ring, using one hand to wipe the sleep from his eyes.

"Mr. Luthor its Jay O'Riley," them man answered over the phone. Jay was the security guard at the penthouse in Metropolis. "Sir, Miss Sullivan and three others arrived just five minutes ago."

"Good," Lex tried not to yawn into the phone and stifled the urge to yet at Jay. He had, after all, left instructions for the guard to call as soon as Chloe arrived. "Who was with her?"

"Clark Kent, Miss Sullivan's personal guard, and another teenage male," Jay listed. "I'm not sure of the last one's identity, Sir."

"Pete Ross," Lex let himself lie back on his bed, the soft pillows cradling his head. "He's fine. If anyone else arrives I want you to phone me immediately."

"Yes Sir," Jay agreed readily. "Goodnight." Lex hung up the phone and dropped it back on his bedside table.

Sleep didn't come as easily now, because even though he had faith in Quinn's ability to protect Chloe (and Clark and Pete as well), he was still smart enough to realize that all of the bodyguards in Metropolis won't be able to keep her as safe as he'd like. Not if Lionel Luthor wanted her dead.

Lex hated his father for what he'd done to Clark, to Gabe, to Chloe, to his sons, to his wife...Chloe had been wrong earlier when she said that Lionel had already taken everything from her; Lex knew that she could loose more. He wasn't going to let that happen. Never again.

* * *

Randy watched from the shadows of the parking garage when the Sullivan girl and her entourage arrived at the apartment building. They parked the two cars in the penthouse parking stalls and took the elevator up. Randy checked his watch. 3:42 am.

Lionel Luthor's man on the inside was a security guard, paid an exorbitant fee to work for Lex Luthor, and an even higher one to report all to Lionel Luthor and his men. Randy was expecting a call from him.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, Randy's cell phone vibrated, alerting him of an incoming call. "Hunter," Randy answered, using the code names that Luthor had assigned.

"She's in the penthouse," Jay O'Riley—AKA Trojan—said over the line. "There's a shift change at four. Cameras are offline from 3:58 to 4:03 while the tapes are changed."

"Got it," Randy hung up the phone and checked his watch again, 3:55. He fiddled with the watch controls, and once the display read 3:58, he activated the stopwatch. The watch face began counting down five minutes and Randy climbed quickly out of the car. He walked up to the exterior elevator entrance and checked that the record light was off on the cameras. Seeing that it was, he took out the access key that Luthor guy Dominic had provided and turned it in the elevator keyhole, summoning the lift to the underground lot.

The cables behind the closed doors made a steady whirring sound while they pushed the car downwards. Randy checked the stopwatch, just as it ticked past the two-minute mark; he had a full three minutes to get up to the top floor. The doors opened and he rushed in, punching the P button quickly.

He rode up the fifty floors to the penthouse and exited the elevator into a small vestibule area. The locked door in front of him posed no problem, because he had a key for that too. He was already pulling the key out when the timer entered the last minute. Plenty of time.

TBC...

* * *

_A/N: I'm done this episode, just trying to find the time to type it up. Episode seven is coming alone nicely too..._


	4. Three

**Chapter Three**

Chloe, Clark and Pete waited patiently by the door of the penthouse while Quinn went from room to room, searching for any possible intruders. Chloe let out a tiny breath of relief when he returned to them. "All clear," he told them stoically.

"Great, thanks," she smiled tiredly at him and flipped on the lights in the living room.

"Damn!" Pete cried, looking around the room in awe. Chloe had to agree with that; the penthouse was amazing. Unlike the antique, conservative mansion, this place was sleek and modern. One wall was made entirely of windows overlooking the city, and there was a wire-suspended staircase leading up to a second level, probably containing the bedrooms. The couch was very comfortable looking, made of stretched black leather, and faced an enormous wall-mounted wide screen TV. There was a fireplace, a few paintings hanging on the walls, and a huge skylight.

The kitchen was sleek as well; all stainless steel, and the cupboards were stacked with food. "Lex said that there was a room here for me," Chloe told them.

"Well let's see it then," Pete grinned. They all climbed up the stairs to find her bedroom. Along the way they discovered what was clearly the master bedroom, a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub, and a storage cupboard full of linens. Pete wandered down to the end of the hall and announced that he'd found another bedroom. "It could be this one."

Clark peeked his head out of the last room and shook it at Pete. "That must be a spare room," he told them quickly before ducking back in. Chloe and Pete hurried to join him, both of their eyes widening as soon as they entered the room.

"Uh...well this one is definitely your room," Pete nodded. Chloe smiled and sat gingerly on the plush white duvet cover. There was a glass-topped desk built into the wall, a large comfy bed, a changing screen in the corner, and several shelves with various picture frames sitting on them. Pete walked over to the desk and opened the blue iBook that sat there, whistling while he did.

Clark picked up one of the frames off of the shelves and held it up for Chloe to see. "Is this you in Paris?" he asked her. Chloe frowned and hopped off of the bed, walking over and taking the frame from him. It was a picture of her and Lana, in front of the dress store, smiling into the camera. She nodded to Clark and quickly checked the rest of the frames, discovering that they were copies of all of the pictures that she had framed in her room at the mansion.

"He must have had copies made," she told them, smiling gently at a picture of her and Gabe on her eighth birthday.

"Wonder what's in the closet?" Pete reached out and opened the door. "Oh, a mall." Chloe snorted but went to see what he'd discovered, finding a walk-in closet full of clothes.

"I guess he likes to shop," Clark eye's widened at the selection.

"No he has a personal shopper," Chloe told them absentmindedly and pulled a gold bustier-style shirt off of the rack.

Clark eyed the shirt. "That can't be comfortable," he noted, eyeing the vertical boning in the bodice.

"Not really," she shrugged. "But they make your chest look..." she trailed off, realizing that both Clark and Pete were watching her with wide eyes. "I mean, no. They're not really comfortable."

Pete checked the label on the shirt. "I don't think people buy this for comfort," he noted. Clark looked at the label too and frowned.

"Who's Vera Wang?" he asked them. Chloe rolled her eyes at his small town mind.

Suddenly a loud thump sounded from downstairs. "What was that?" she muttered. She closed the closet door and followed Clark and Pete back down the hallway.

"Quinn?" Clark called as they rounded the corner. The lights were off downstairs and they had to cling to the side rails of the staircase on the way down. Chloe reached the landing just after the others and they all began groping at the wall, trying to find a light switch.

"Yes," Pete muttered quickly before flipping on the switch that he'd found. The room was flooded with bright light so harsh that they all flinched momentarily. When the spots in front of her eyes cleared, Chloe began to look around the room for Quinn. "Oh shit," Pete swore.

They followed his gaze to the crumpled heap on the floor. Quinn. Chloe rushed over and felt for a pulse. "Is he dead?" Pete cried.

"He'll be fine," a gruff voice said from the doorway behind them. They spun around to see a large man step out of the shadows, a handgun trained on them and another gun hanging limply at his side. "That one was just a tranquilizer," he slipped the one gun into his waistband, still keeping the handgun trained on Chloe. "This one however..."

She knew this guy. She ran through London trying to get away from him. Clark raised his hands slowly and stepped closer to her, easing himself to stand in front of her.

"Just put the gun down," Clark told him slowly.

"How about you move away from the girl and I don't shoot your other friend in the head," the man growled at Clark and then moved his gun to the left, training it on Pete now. Pete gulped and stood ramrod straight.

"Don't listen to him Clark," Pete shook his head nervously. "He'll shoot her; don't move!"

"Okay!" Chloe cried and slowly eased her way around Clark, hands up in the air so that the gun-toting-hit man could see. "How about you don't shoot anyone. We can talk about this."

"Sorry honey," he leered at her. "I'm not stupid Sullivan, I know that you know who I am."

"Yes I know," she nodded, trying not to let her body quake with fear. "And I know why you're here."

"Good that makes this easier then," he smirked, waving the gun a little. "I usually have to explain why I'm there, why I have a gun. You know."

"Why are you?" Clark demanded. "What is it that is so important that you have to kill an innocent girl?"

"Right," the guy rolled his eyes and trained the gun on Chloe again. "You must be the small town kid. Listen Sullivan, not that I'm holding a grudge or anything, but you made me look real bad in front of my employer."

"I'm sorry," she deadpanned. "Next time I'll remember to let the bad guys catch me once or twice so that they don't look bad."

"I'm not the bad guy Chloe," he feigned hurt. "You're the one who backed out of your contract with Mr. Luthor. I'm just here getting retribution."

"You're crazy if you think that killing me will solve everything," she snarked. "If I turn up dead the courts are going to be pretty curious as to why the leading witness in the Luthor case suddenly got shot. You can't think for a second that Lionel will take the fall for that. You'll be in jail faster than he can point his finger at you."

"We have an agreement about that," the guy smirked at her. "A safe getaway planned. They'd never find me."

"There's no where on this planet that Luthor won't find you," she told him darkly. "If Lionel doesn't, Lex certainly will. If you kill any of us he'll have you begging for mercy."

"Yeah I heard that you had a real smart mouth on you," he returned just as darkly. "That's what got you into this whole mess in the first place, isn't it?"

Chloe blinked at him as if he'd just slapped her. He was absolutely right and they all knew it; it was her smart mouth and curiosity that got her into this situation. "What do you want?" she asked him slowly, voice gravelly.

"Are you stupid too?" he cried, shooting a look at Clark quickly. "I want you dead Chloe." He said it as if they were all very deficient.

"No," she said in the same tone. "What do you really want?"

"I just told you," he growled. "I want you dead so that I can get paid!"

"Is that it?" she snorted. "You want to get paid?"

"No I don't buy it," Clark shook his head. "If that's all he wanted he'd have shot us by now. I think he's looking to make a deal."

"Actually flannel boy, I'm not," he rolled his eyes.

"Then why are you still here?" Pete finally found his voice again. "I mean, shouldn't you shoot us and then get out as quick as you can?"

"Luthor told me that I could take care of blondie anyway that I want," he leered at her again. "I hadn't planned on having you two here, but let's just call that a bonus."

"There must be something else that you want," Chloe pushed, trying to quell the sudden urge to vomit. "Something that Lionel Luthor isn't really in the position of giving you right now."

"Chloe!" Pete and Clark both gaped at her.

"Oh please!" she yelled back in disgust. "I was talking about money! How much is Lionel paying you?"

The man frowned. "Why?" he asked her suspiciously.

"I can double it," she told him confidently. "Twice what he's giving you and a plane ticked to wherever you want to go."

"You don't have that kind of money," he shook his head and leveled the gun on her head again.

"Lex does," she told him evenly, ignoring the worried glances from Clark and Pete. "I can get it for you before daybreak."

"How? You call Lex Luthor and fill him in on the fact that I'm here? I don't think so," he shook his head again.

"No, I get a cash advance off of the credit card that he gave me and you hop on the first place out of Metropolis," she explained.

"That's an awful lot of money to take off a credit card little girl," he sneered as if she were that stupid.

"Lex has an awful lot of money," she sneered back. "And he's very generous, didn't even limit my card access. I can take out as much as I want."

"So apparently he's stupid too," the guy laughed bitterly. "I'd always assumed that he was intelligent. What's to stop you from robbing him blind?"

"He's not stupid," she said defensively. "And he's not worried about me taking his money."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want it," she smirked at him. "But I know that you do."

"We're done talking about this unless I see some plastic darlin'," he told her.

Chloe nodded. "It's in my purse," she pointed to the couch where she'd put her purse down.

"Go get it," he pointed quickly with the barrel of the gun. "Slowly." She nodded again and made her way over to the couch. She turned her back to them and opened the purse, trying not to let them see when she grabbed the wallet with one hand and the cell phone with the other. She quickly hit two buttons on the phone, speed dial 2. While her phone dialed she found the credit card in her wallet.

* * *

Lex groaned when the cell phone rang again, but he rolled over and grabbed it off of the nightstand anyway. He'd just started to fall asleep! The call display read "Chloe". "Luthor," he yawned into the phone. There was no answer on the other line, but he could make out voices, very faint and far away. "Hello?"

A muffled voice came through the speaker, vaguely familiar. "What's taking so long?"

"I'm sorry but having that gun at my back is making me kind of jumpy," Chloe's voice was louder than the first and it made Lex sit up straight in his bed. "Here."

He struggled to hear the rest of the conversation but could only make out vague muffled sounds. Keeping the cell phone to one ear, Lex reached for the house phone and dialed Quinn's cell, wondering where in the hell the bodyguard.

Lex could hear Quinn's phone ring over both lines. "What's that?" the fist voice demanded, more clearly this time.

"His phone," Lex recognized Clark's voice. "Should I answer it?"

"Should I shoot you in the head?" the man returned. "Sit your ass down...now! All of you!" Lex felt his throat tighten at the very idea of his three young friends getting hurt.

"Listen," Chloe said shakily and Lex had to strain to hear her. "If I go with you right now to get the money will you leave them alone?"

"She's not going anywhere with you," Clark said. Lex hung up on Quinn's phone, the ringing stopped, and dialed the Metropolis Police Department.

* * *

"No one is going anywhere until morning," Randy told them sharply.

"Why not?" the girl demanded.

"It doesn't matter why," he snapped. The fact was though that if Randy wanted to get out of the building without being caught on tape, he'd have to wait until the next shift change for the security team, which was at noon. "Best get comfy kids, we're here 'til lunch time. That is, if you don't piss me off."

"You know," the girl raised her hand as if she were in class. "If Quinn doesn't answer his phone, Lex will wonder why."

"Let him wonder then," Randy scowled at her even though he knew that she was right. He sighed. "Okay, all of you get up and sit on the couch." It was easier to keep an eye on all of them at once if they were all close together. They slowly climbed to their feet and made their way to the leather couch, the girl sitting in the middle. "Good. Now stay." He sat down on a nearby stool and kept the gun trained on them, his back to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

He glared at them for a few minutes, enjoying the way that they fidgeted uncomfortably. Like he'd told the girl, Randy just wanted to get paid. He was considering her offer though, because the extra money would be enough to get him away from Luthor for good. Unless they managed to find him...

"Do you guys hear..." the third kid listened carefully. "Sounds like sirens." Randy listened too, and sure enough, the distant sound of sirens began to grow louder. He wasn't worried, a city like Metropolis had plenty of crime and he had no reason to believe that they were after him.

"It's just a siren kid," Randy told him shortly. "How about you stop talk—"They all froze, the girl sat up straighter, as the familial sound of a phone left off the hook filled the room. He looked at the girl in realization. "Throw me the purse. Now!"

The Kent kid grabbed the purse from behind him and tossed it to Randy. The sirens were growing louder even as he dumped the contents of the purse out onto the hard wood floor. He found the source of the beeping, a cell phone, and picked it up. The keypad was illuminated and the display read "Lex". He clicked the off button and hurled the phone at the wall, watching in satisfaction as it broke into dozen's of pieces.

"You stupid bit—" Randy's cry was drowned out by the sudden appearance of a blue floodlight hovering outside the windows, and the telltale whirring sounds of helicopter propellers.

"This is the Metropolis Police Department," a voice said through a megaphone. The helicopter flew up to the top of the building, they could see it through the skylight, and Randy was sure that officers were making their way up from the lobby at that very moment.

The three kids all watched him nervously from the couch. "Sorry sweetheart," he yelled over all of the outside noise. "No deal!" Randy pointed the gun straight at her chest and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Clark watched the hit man wearily from his position on the couch. When the floodlights shone in he considered jumping to action then, to catch him by surprise, but hesitated. He wasn't about to let Chloe and Pete be shot, but he was still hesitant about using his abilities. Especially with cops swarming around the building.

But when the guy aimed at Chloe again, and pulled the trigger, Clark was off of the couch in a flash. The boom of the gun, and Chloe and Pete's cries echoed through his ears as he sped forward. The world took on that familiar, slow motion feeling while he interacted in a speed that felt normal to him. He dove forward, allowing the bullet to hit him in the chest, where it caved in on itself and fell to the ground. His arms locked around the man at the knees to knock him onto his back.

Clark slowed down and time moved back to normal, Clark and the man hit the floor roughly, the other's screams dying out. Clark grabbed for the gun but the man had already dropped it, and it went sliding across the hard wood floor.

Clark struggled to hold the guy down; he wasn't nearly as strong but he refused to hold still. Chloe scrambled across the floor to get the gun, and he could hear Pete opening the door and calling out into the hallway; the cops were coming.

Chloe ran back over, gun in hand. She pointed it at the hit man and, though her shoulders shook with barely restrained fear, her hand was surprisingly steady. The sound of another approaching helicopter distracted Clark for a second. One second too long apparently because the next thing that he knew, two metal prongs were sticking to his side and a bolt of electricity was shooting through his body. Not enough to seriously hurt him, but he definitely felt it. He cried out and instinctively rolled off of the man, feeling the after effects of the tazer and only faintly hearing Chloe scream.

The man scrambled to his feet and stared Chloe down. Clark struggled to shake himself out of the trance he was in.

"I don't think you have it in you," he leered at Chloe again and pulled a gun out of a holster on his ankle. They circled each other tensely until his back was to the window again. "Come on little girl, you were the one who messed with the big boys." He cocked the gun.

Clark shook himself mentally and managed to climb to his feet, the ground swaying slightly under him. Before he could reach them, a second gunshot rang out through the room. Chloe and the hit man were standing too close together for him to stop the bullet, and Clark saw the splatter of blood as it fanned out. Chloe made a choking noise and dropped her gun in shock. She stuttered. "I- I..."

Clark watched in shock as the man teetered back and forth a bit, and they reached out towards her. He grabbed the front of her shirt and when he fell backwards she went with him. They both crashed through the window, shattering the glass into a waterfall, and began to fall. Clark ignored the familiar cries from the doorway behind him and dove forward again. He landed on his stomach again and reached out the window, locking his hand around Chloe's wrist just before she fell out of reach.

When time returned to normal, the hit man lost his grip on Chloe, plummeting to the ground with a sickening scream. Clark grabbed her other wrist with his free hand and used his feet to anchor himself enough to pull her back inside. He tugged upwards, hard enough to lift her back into the building. She crashed into him roughly, sending both of them sliding backwards into the living room. Clark fell back onto the floor, the glass shards hitting his back harmlessly, and Chloe landed safely on top of him.

For a few seconds everything was still, and Clark worried that he had hurt her pulling her back in like that.

* * *

Chloe felt nauseous, and heard nothing except the memory of a blood curdling scream and the steady thumping of Clark's heart beating under her ear. She could feel the wet and sticky blood that splattered her face and soaked her shirt. Blood...

She scrambled off of Clark as quickly as she could, her shoes slipping on the shards of glass and air seemingly impossible to find. "It's all over me," she muttered, replaying his shocked face over and over in her mind. She barely registered Clark climbing to his feet, or Pete and Lex's rapid approach. And then someone said her name.

"Chloe?"

"Chloe?"

"Chloe!"

"What?" he head snapped up and the haze seemed to lift. Everything was suddenly painfully clear. She looked up and saw Pete, Clark and Lex staring at her. She frowned at them. "I..."

"Are you okay?" Clark asked her. She blinked at him and then looked down at her blood soaked, and now ripped, shirt.

"I..." she lifted the hem of the shirt up, as she'd done in the tattoo parlor, and let them see that she was not shot. Her skin had no bullet hold through it, the blood wasn't hers. "I shot him. I shot him...I d-didn't ...I just..."

"It's okay Chloe," Lex rubbed her arm comfortingly. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to sit down?"

"No," she shook her head and then peered up at Clark, realization dawning on her face. "You..."

Clark's eyes developed that familiar, panicked look and she shook her head, forgetting what she was about to say. "I thought I was going to fall," she muttered instead. Pete grabbed her hand and led her to the couch, and she let him.

"So did we," Lex nodded, crouching down in front of her. "We're lucky that Clark was able to catch you."

"Yeah," she nodded absentmindedly, trying to forget the oddly clear memory of sitting on a couch, staring down the barrel of a gun. "Lucky."

TBC...


	5. Closer

**Closer**

Lex accepted a pen from the detective in charge and signed at the bottom of the page that he held out. "When can I take her home?" he asked the detective.

"As soon as she's finished giving her statement," the detective answered him. "We'll be in contact with you in a couple of days."

"All right, thank you," Lex shook his hand and allowed the detective to move on to his next eyewitness testimony. He sighed exhaustedly and looked over at the couch, where Chloe was talking to another detective. The sun was already halfway raised in the sky, and the Metropolis PD had already closed off the street around the building.

Jonathan and Martha Kent stood huddled in a corner with Clark, talking in whispered tones and shooting weary glances in Chloe's direction. Pete and Judge Ross sat quietly at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the broken window. The police had strung yellow tape across the frame of the window, and a strand across the door.

Lex wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Most days he missed living in the penthouse, but right now he was starting to think that he wouldn't mind not being here for a while. He was more concerned about Chloe though. She had shot and killed a man, something that he could actually identify with. Considering how awful someone like him felt afterwards, Chloe must be dying inside.

The detective that had been talking to her finally stood up. Lex watched anxiously as she nodded at something the man said and watched him walk away. Lex gave her a minute before he made his way over and joined her on the couch.

"Chloe," he greeted cautiously. She lifted her head off of the back of the couch and looked at him. Her eyes were red rimmed, making the green stand out in sharp contrast, and her skin was pale from where she'd scrubbed the blood off, taking off her make up as well. She'd changed out of her ruined shirt and into a sweater from his closet that was way too big for her.

"Hey," she leaned back again but this time kept her head turned in his direction. She pulled her feet up and tucked them underneath herself.

"How are you doing? You okay?" he felt stupid even asking, knowing that she couldn't possibly be.

She smiled sardonically at the question. "I'm tired," she confessed. "I want to leave."

"Are you done?" he asked her, referring to the detective that she'd just been talking to.

She shook her head. "He's just getting it typed up," she sighed and closed her eyes again. "Then I can sign it and get out of here."

"How long?"

"Twenty minutes maybe," she took a deep breath. "Lex?"

"Yes Chloe?" he knew what was coming. She opened her eyes again, looking panicked.

"That man...I-"she swallowed again painfully. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," he assured her quickly, totally confidant. "It was self defense Chloe. You won't get in trouble for that."

"Should I?" she asked him, paling even more. "Lex I killed him. He died because of me! Shouldn't I have to pay for that?"

"You already are Chloe," he told her sadly. "You'll remember it everyday, and that's more punishment than anyone could ever give you. And it's far more than you deserve."

She nodded and took another deep breath. "It's morning," she looked out of the remaining windows. "I didn't even realize...it still feels like Friday."

"Yes it does," he agreed, remembering suddenly that he hadn't slept yet.

"Oh," she turned to him apologetically. "I broke my cell phone."

He frowned. "What, again?"

* * *

"I guess I'll see you later," Pete shrugged and pulled Chloe into a tight hug.

"Guess so," she nodded, squeezing him tight before reluctantly releasing him.

"Be good," he joked weakly, none of them really feeling like laughing.

"You too," she returned. Pete clapped Clark on the back and shook hands with Lex. Then he and his mother walked out of the penthouse, and for the third time in as many months, she had to watch him leave.

Clark turned to her next. "Mom and Dad are ready to head home," he told her sheepishly. "It's been a long night."

"Thank you Clark," she told him sincerely, once again trying to shake away the strange thought that the first bullet should have hit her. It couldn't possibly be true, and even less likely was the thought that Clark had somehow prevented it.

"For what?" he shrugged modestly. "Anyone else would have done the same. I was just the closest."

"You caught me," she reminded him.

"I'll always catch you," he promised her. She broke down and threw her arms around him. He jugged her back tightly, running his hand through her hair once, before pulling reluctantly away. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded and gave him a little wave, and then he was gone too. And then there was... "Ready to go?" Lex put his hand on her back, catching her attention.

"Yes," she nodded gratefully. "Just let me grab my purse."

He nodded and waited while she walked back over to the living room and bent down to gather up the items that had been spilled when the bag was dropped. She quickly collected her wallet, lipstick, and keys, but couldn't see her compact anywhere. "Where is—oh," she spotted it sitting halfway under the stool that the hit man had sat on. She suppressed the involuntary shudder that arose at the very thought, and crawled quickly over to the compact. She picked it up and dropped in into her purse. Just as she was climbing to her feet again, her eyes caught sight of something metallic on the floor.

Chloe wrinkled her brow and picked up the small metal object, looking intently at it while she stood up. "Did you find something?" Lex's voice startled her but she tried not to show it. She nodded and held her palm open for him to see.

They both peered down at it, and she knew that his mind was putting together the same pieces that hers was. Chloe bit her lip at the sight; the bullet rested harmlessly on her hand, it's end distorted as if it had been fired into a large steel wall instead of at her own vulnerable skin.

"Huh."

The End...

* * *

_Next time on Smallville:_

_...Chloe walks into the barn confidently. "I know your secret Clark"...she pulls out a hand gun and fires off several shots..._

_...A pair of students dive out of the way...Chloe and Clark frown..."I think maybe I'd better talk to Lex about these guards"..._

_...Chloe reached out and tried the doorknob...locked..."What the"..._

_..."We're celebrating," Lex says...Chloe groaned miserably and tried to hold him up..."So Lex got drunk?"..._

_..."Cooper Harris," a cute blonde holds his hand out...."You're the new editor"..._

_..."What's wrong?"...Lex lowers his cell phone in shock and Chloe frowns..._


End file.
